DALLAS (105.3 The Fan) - A second NFL team in North Texas? If the mayor of Dallas had his way it would become reality.
In response to a recent article posted by NFL on CBS on Twitter seeking opinions on which city is deserving of an NFL expansion franchise, Dallas Mayor Eric Johnson threw the city's hat into the ring.
“We [the city of Dallas] are about to pass the Chicago metro and become the #3 metro in the US, which would make us the largest US metro WITHOUT 2 teams. Football is king here. Dallas needs an expansion team and we would be able to sustain 2,” Johnson tweeted.
“So, if a deal can be made that benefits the NFL, the other owners, the City of Dallas, and possibly the Cowboys, it’s a no brainer.”
As Johnson is well aware, the biggest hurdle to bringing another franchise to Dallas, or even the state of Texas for that matter, is Cowboys owner Jerry Jones.
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“But here’s the rub: if it benefits all of the stakeholders I just mentioned except Jerry Jones, does that mean a deal couldn’t/shouldn’t happen? I’m not so sure and it’s my job as mayor to ask these types of questions when my city and its residents stands to benefit,” Johnson said. “I’m both a sports fan and a lover of Dallas. If LA and NY can both support a NFC and an AFC team, then Dallas, the capital of football, surely can!
“I don’t think the Lakers or Yankees are bothered one bit by the existence of the Clippers or Mets. Cowboys are a stronger brand with a more global fan base than either of these two. You’re underestimating Jerry Jones AND DALLAS!”
If the NFL is ever going to expand, and Texas does end up in the conversations for an expansion franchise, Mayor Johnson will certainly have some competition from a rapidly growing city about 274 miles south of Dallas.
“I said I think last year or the year before, I think San Antonio is an NFL city within 10 years, I still stand by that,” San Antonio Mayor Ron Nirenberg told KSAT in Jan. 2021. “And that is because of the evolution that’s happening within the National Football League, the fact that it too is becoming an international league, particularly with its sights on Latin America, and we know the role San Antonio plays in that. We are the seventh-largest city in the United States and we knock events out of the park.”
So when might the NFL consider expanding and how many teams will they add? No one knows for sure. But according to an opinion from Pro Football Talk, the NFL could be looking at growing exponentially in the future.
"With more and more young, capable quarterbacks entering the NFL, it’s not crazy to think that the talent pool from college football can support 34, 36, 38, or even 40 teams.
"Yes, 40 teams. If the expansion process from 32 begins, 40 becomes the natural ending point. That would result in eight divisions of five teams each. And it would make sense at that point to have 16 playoff teams."
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